You At Your Best

14 | YOU AT YOUR beST | nWADg.cOm/YOUATYOURbeST OcTObeR - WOmen'S HeAlTH | SATURDAY, SepTembeR 30, 2017 Women at greater risk for urinary incontinence than men metro Creative serviCes Urinary incontinence is a common situation for women and men, and one that should not cause embarrassment. While urinary incontinence, often referred to as "UI," can affect anyone, the risk of developing the condition is higher among women than men. Understanding UI can help women better cope with this often embarrassing condition. UI affects many The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases defines UI as a loss of bladder control resulting in the accidental loss of urine. Three sets of muscles work in concert to keep urine in the bladder. The internal sphincter, the external sphincter and pelvic floor muscles support, contract and relax to help empty the bladder at the right times. This process is compromised in people with UI. UI can occur in various forms. Stress incontinence is when a small amount of urine escapes while coughing or jogging. Urgency incontinence is the feeling of having to go but not being able to make it to the bathroom in time. Many women experience both types of UI. According to the National Association for Incontinence, urinary incontinence affects 200 million people worldwide. One in four women over the age of 18 have experienced involuntary urine leakage. Of the 25 million adult Americans suffering from UI, about 80 percent are women. Causes of UI UI may be caused by a weakening of the pelvic muscles and urethra, or the tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the body. If damaged or weakened, these parts of the body may not be strong enough to contract sufficiently to hold urine when stress is placed on them. The Mayo Clinic offers that age, childbirth, pregnancy, menopause, injury, or prior surgery have all been linked UI. Neurological disorders, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease and a spinal injury, also may cause UI. Treating UI A number of treatments can alleviate UI. Kegel exercises that strengthen pelvic floor muscles may help. When done right, these exercises make participants feel as thought they are trying to stop the flow of urine or attempting not to pass gas. Some women are able to corral their UI by visiting the restroom at set times each day, and then prolonging trips incrementally. Losing weight also may help alleviate symptoms of UI if excess weight is putting pressure on the bladder. Devices, such as pessaries or special tampon-type inserts, can push up against the wall of the vagina and urethra to help reduce stress leakage. Surgery and medications may be necessary if other methods do not help. Women can speak with their doctors if UI becomes problematic. More information is available at urologyhealth. org. Women can experience hair loss, too metro Creative serviCes Baldness is a condition most commonly associated with men, but many women also experience hair loss, and the effects of that hair loss can affect body image. Female pattern hair loss, or FPHL, is the most common form of progressive hair loss in women. The condition also may be called androgenetic alopecia. The American Hair Loss Association indicates that up to 40 percent of American hair loss sufferers are women. Male hair loss is more common and unlikely to garner much attention. But FPHL can be difficult for women. Women who lose their hair may suffer from low self-esteem and be less inclined to engage socially. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it's normal for men and women to lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, even for those people who are not going bald. But losing large amounts of hair each day is cause for concern. FPHL is characterized by miniaturization of the hair follicles, which become shorter and produce thinner and more brittle hairs. Eventually, hair follicles may stop developing altogether. The AAD notes that FPHL has a distinct appearance in which the hair thins mainly on the top and crown of the scalp. A gradual widening of the center part of hair may be noticeable as well. Hair loss may be the result of genetics and other environmental factors that throw off the growing cycle, advises WebMD. Medication, illness, infection, hormones, or chemicals have the potential to prevent hair from being formed properly. Hair loss is sometimes temporary, and hair will ultimately grow normally after a precipitating event, such as pregnancy, ends. Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, a derivative of the male hormone testosterone, can play a role in female hair loss, says the American Hair Loss Association. The hormonal process of testosterone converting into DHT can harm hair follicles. The process occurs in women as well as men because females have small amounts of testosterone in their normal biology. Male androgen hormones may become more pronounced in women's bodies as they age and their own female hormones of estrogen and progesterone start to diminish. Women losing their hair should see a dermatologist to determine the cause of their hair loss. Avoiding tight hair styles, hair trauma and stressors may help as well. However, when hair loss is not preventable, a medication called minoxidil may help. This topical treatment helps slow down or stop hair loss in roughly one in four women, according to Harvard Health Publications. It also may produce some new hair growth. The process can take a year, so styling one's hair a different way or clip-in extensions may help hide hair loss in the interim. Hair loss affects women as well as men. But many women suffer in silence.

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